We propose to strengthen and to expand our mentorship and educational Initiatives in health services research on racial and ethnic health disparities at the RWJF Center for Health Policy at the University of New Mexico (UNM). Our program has a special focus on American Indian and Latino health issues, including social and economic inequities;our Center provides an intensive training institute, which introduces health services research and community based participatory research to newly hired and "minority" junior faculty members and graduate students from the basic social science disciplines (e.g., economics, political science, sociology) and the clinical sciences (e.g., nurses). In addition, we plan to build within our core research infrastructure the capacity to administer a "population laboratory" for the greater Albuquerque region that can support a wide range of future studies. This project also enhances ongoing mentorship relationships with exceptional nationally recognized health researchers. By this application, we will strengthen the successful RWJF Center program by expanding it in two important ways;both directions reflect NCMHD priorities expressed in the Program Announcement and other communications, a) By recruiting advanced to candidacy graduate students (e.g., ABD) who have been unable to finish their dissertations for a variety of reasons to our intensive dissertation completion and mentoring program we will rapidly increase the number of new "minority" researchers, b) Recruitment of "minority" researchers from the social sciences at the post- doctoral level who may not have thought their work was relevant to eliminating health disparities will increase the pool for successful new faculty addressing racial and ethnic disparities. RELEVANCE (See instructions): The New Mexico Center for Excellence will increase the numbers of research scholars representing minority populations who will be prepared to contribute as leaders in the area of health care and informing health care policy. OVERALL IMPACT: Strengths * This address an important area that few have turned their attention to, the significant number of minority students who are in the all but degree category. * Therefore, it is designed to provide an immediate source for increasing the number of minority scientists. * The proposal is well developed and utilizing a multidisciplinary approach to addressing the problem. * It specific focus on increasing the number of Native American scientist * It inclusion of not only the clinical sciences, but the social and political sciences as well * The support of the University for this program Weaknesses * The number of scholars to be impacted. SCORED REVIEW CRITERIA SIGNIFICANCE: Strengths * This is an innovative multi and trans-disciplinary approach to increasing the number of individuals focusing on health disparities research. * It taps into a source of potential minority scientists, those ABD students. * Its focus on Native American students. Weaknesses * The lack of sufficient information regarding the number of potential ABD students, especially in the area. INVESTIGATOR(S): Strengths * This project is led by an outstanding investigator who brought together an outstanding group of people. Weaknesses * None INNOVATION: Strengths * Addressing candidates who fall into the ABD category. * Addressing Native Americans, few places have access to this population and/or address the need for such in the broad range of sciences addressing health disparities. Research Weaknesses * None APPROACH: Strengths * The proposal utilizes a interdisciplinary approach to address a unique issue which is supported by the University of New Mexico * The inclusion of economics and political science in the interdisciplinary approach. * The use of real world experiences in the training process provides an excellence training experience in aiding the trainees to truly address health disparities. Weaknesses * None ENVIRONMENT Strengths * At the tap of the list is the strong commitment and support of the University of New Mexico to this program and is an integral part of the institution. * As mentioned early, the University of New Mexico is one of the few institutions committed to addressing Native American issues. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Public Health Policy is the only health policy center that specifically focuses on increasing the number of Native American and Hispanic/Latino leaders. Weaknesses * None ADMINISTRATIVE CORE: SCORED REVIEW CRITERIA APPROACH: Strengths * Dr. Valdez and his group have outlined an excellence management plan of action. * There are clear lines of authority with the Executive Director reporting to the Provost who reports to the Executive Vice President. * Each of the principal players who a role in the decision making process. Weaknesses * No alternate plans are provided as well as benchmarks to determine success of the program. There are the beginning of such, but they have not truly been flushed out. One has to assume that the leadership can fully implement alternative strategies if the ones presented do not work. INVESTIGATOR(S): Strengths * As stated earlier, the Principal Investigator has formed an outstanding team of investigators/mentors. Each of the members of the team have clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Weaknesses * None ENVIRONMENT: Strengths * As has been stated over and over again, the level of support for this project is phenomenal. Weaknesses * None RESEARCH TRAINING/EDUCATION CORE SCORED REVIEW CRITERIA SIGNIFICANCE: Strengths * The proposed training program is to be built off of a RWJF funded training program targeting health and healthcare leaders from underrepresented racial//ethnic minority communities, focusing on social and science disciplines as well as nursing. * Another strength in this area is the already existing strong relationship with American Indians and Hispanic/Latino communities in New Mexico as well as the southwest. * It focus on ABD individuals in a broad arrange of fields. Weaknesses * None APPROACH: Strengths * The use of a trans-disciplinary team and the clearly presented organizational structure allowed for the training of new investigators in a team approached Weaknesses * None INVESTIGATOR(S): Strengths * Although the Principal Investigator does not have a recent publication record, one needs to realize that publications and grant dollars have not reduced the gap in health disparities. There are other outstanding attribute that the Principal Investigator has that was clearly recognized by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of New Mexico when he was hired as a full Professor and Director of the Center for Public Health Policy. He is most evident strengthen is his leadership skills and the ability to past those skills on to others. * The list of investigators he has identified not only have the requisite publications that others like to see, but outstanding mentoring skills as indicated by the information provided. Weaknesses * None